1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical connector, more particularly to an electrical connector having a pair of board locking members for securing itself to a printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a conventional electrical connector. The electrical connector includes an insulator housing 1, a plurality of terminals 112, a conductive shield 13, and a pair of conductive board locking members 12 for securing the connector to a printed circuit board 2.
The insulator housing 1 includes a longitudinally extending base portion 16 with two opposite end portions, a hollow mating flange 11 disposed between the opposite end portions of the base portion 16 and projecting from a front face of the base portion 16 in a transverse direction relative to the base portion 16, and two opposite L-shaped retaining extensions 17 extending respectively from the two opposite end portions of the base portion 16 in a longitudinal direction relative to the base portion 16. Each L-shaped retaining extension 17 has an upper part 171 with a front face co-planar with the front face of the base portion 16, and a lower part 172 projecting from a bottom end of the upper part 171 in the transverse direction opposite to the mating flange 11. A mounting recess 113 is formed in a rear face of the upper part 171 that is opposite to the front face of the upper part 171. A notch 116 is formed in the lower part 172 of each retaining extension 17, and extends in the transverse direction. A mounting groove 114 is formed in a top end of the upper part 171 of each retaining extension 17. A central hole 115 is formed in the upper part 171 of each retaining extension 17. A plurality of terminal passageways 111 are formed in two opposite side walls of the mating flange 11 for receiving the terminals 112 therein. The terminals 112 have solder tails projecting through the terminal passageways 111 and out of the insulator housing 1 into a plurality of apertures 22 in the printed circuit board 2.
The conductive shield 13 is mounted on and is disposed around the mating flange 11, and has two opposite end portions wrapped around the top and bottom ends and the front face of the upper part 171 of each retaining extension 17, and two opposite holes registered with the central holes 115 in the upper parts 171 of the retaining extensions 17.
Each board locking member 12 includes a stem portion 121 mounted in the mounting recess 113 in the respective one of the upper parts 171 and having a hole 123 registered with the respective central hole 115, a mounting tongue 122 projecting from a top end of the stem portion 121 into the mounting groove 114 in the respective one of the upper parts 171, an inserting portion 125 projecting from a bottom end of the stem portion 121 in the transverse direction opposite to the mating flange 11 and aligned with the notch 116 of the respective lower part 172, and a locking peg 124 projecting downwardly from the inserting portion 125 through the notch 116 and a through-hole 21 of the printed circuit board 2. The board locking members 12 and the two opposite end portions of the conductive shield 13 are secured to the opposite ends of the base portion 16 via screw means passing through the central holes 115 in the upper parts 171 of the retaining extensions 17, the holes 123 in the stem portions 121 of the board locking members 12, and the holes in the conductive shield 13. Each locking peg 124 includes two spaced apart flexible locking legs with anchoring ends engaging the printed circuit board 2 so as to secure the electrical connector to the printed circuit board 2. The conductive shield 13 is electrically connected to a grounding contact (not shown) of the printed circuit board 2 via the mounting tongues 122 of the board locking members 12 for grounding purposes.
The aforesaid conventional electrical connector is disadvantageous in that during assembly of the electrical connector and the printed circuit board 2, the locking peg 124 of each board locking member 12 tends to be twisted by a counter force (acting in a direction of arrow B shown in FIG. 2) that results when the locking pegs 124 are pushed into the through-holes 21 in the printed circuit board 2 via application of an external force acting in a direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 2. Moreover, the stem portion 121 and the mounting tongue 122 of each board locking member 12 also tend to separate from the mounting recess 113 and the mounting groove 114 in the upper part 171 of the respective one of the retaining extensions 17 when the locking pegs 124 are pushed into the through-holes 21 in the printed circuit board 2.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector that is capable of overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks.
According to the present invention, an electrical connector comprises an insulator housing having a longitudinally extending base portion with two opposite ends, a mating portion disposed between the opposite ends and projecting from the base portion in a transverse direction relative to the base portion, and two retaining extensions extending respectively from the opposite ends of the base portion, each of the retaining extensions including a laterally extending lower part that is formed with a retaining slot extending in a lateral direction relative to the base portion and that has a top retaining wall disposed above and defining a top end of the retaining slot, a bottom retaining wall disposed below and defining a bottom end of the retaining slot, and a bottom opening formed in the bottom retaining wall and communicated spatially with the retaining slot, the mating portion having a plurality of terminal passages formed therein; a pair of board locking members, each having a laterally extending inserting portion disposed in a respective one of the retaining slots, and a vertically extending locking peg that projects downwardly from the inserting portion through a respective one of the bottom openings, the inserting portions of the board locking members abutting respectively against the top retaining walls within the retaining slots when the locking pegs are pushed upwardly by an external force; and a plurality of terminals mounted fittingly and respectively in the terminal passages in the mating portion.